Introduction: While many people are somewhat afraid of eating avocados because of their high fat content, research shows many health benefits are attributed to this wonderful fruit. In fact, in an exciting new study conducted at the University of Waterloo in Canada, a...

Introduction: The sad fact is that when it comes to dietary supplements not only are people wasting money, in many cases they are simply not taking advantage of easy, inexpensive steps they could take to improve their health and maybe even saves their lives. A new...

Introduction: Conventional wisdom is that we need to avoid sun exposure in order to avoid skin cancer. However, one of the issues with conventional wisdom is that it is born out of convenience and not critical thinking. With all of the new data emerging on the...

Introduction: What if some of the large clinical studies assessing the benefits (or risks) of selenium supplementation in cancer prevention have used the wrong form? That looks to be the case as a new study from the University of Miami sheds light on the different...

Introduction: A newly published large study indicates the best treatment option for a common form of breast cancer may be no medical treatment. The study examined the results of treatment from over 100,000 women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a type of breast...

Breast cancer has reached near epidemic status among American women as it is currently estimated that one out of eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Currently, breast cancer causes over 40,000 deaths in the United States each...

Welcome

On the Dr Oz show

On the show I discussed the failure of conventional medicine to address the underlying issues in many health conditions offering little more than drugs as biochemical “band aids.”

December is Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness Month

In seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is associated with winter depression Typically, these individuals not only feel depressed they also feel tried, slow down, and generally oversleep, overeat, and crave carbohydrates in the winter. In the summer, these same patients feel very good and maybe even are elated, active, and energetic.

Although many variables may be responsible for SAD, insufficient light exposure is the most logical explanation. Many mammals exhibit seasonal variations in activity level, sleep patterns, and appetite and are extremely sensitive to changes in day length. The antidepressant effects of full-spectrum light therapy have been demonstrated in well-monitored, controlled studies in SAD. The antidepressant effect of light therapy is probably due to the restoration of proper melatonin synthesis and secretion by the pineal gland, leading to reestablishment of the proper circadian rhythm. Full-spectrum white light (10,000 lux) is prescribed for at least 30 minutes every day in the morning. Or, better yet, use full-spectrum lighting throughout the indoor environment.

The key hormonal change caused by exposure to full spectrum lighting may be a reduced secretion of melatonin from the pineal gland and an increased secretion of cortisol by the adrenal glands. Melatonin supplementation is thought to improve SAD because it increases brain melatonin levels, but it may also suppress cortisol secretion.Take 3-5 mg 45 minutes before retiring.

Vitamin D is also an important consideration. Many experts recommend a dosage of 2,000 to 5,000 IU of vitamin D3 daily, especially during the winter months.

Mind Your Ps and Qs

PQQ may be the perfect answer to preventing or reversing age-related mental decline.

kiwiPQQ (short for pyrroloquinoline quinone) is a vitamin-like compound found in plant foods that shows a wide range of benefits for brain function and energy production. Learn more about PQQ with the following Q&A.
What Exactly Does PQQ Do?

PQQ is an extremely potent antioxidant that is able to carry out the role of an antioxidant in the body more than 20,000 times—which is a rare thing. For example, other antioxidants, such as vitamin C, are only able to accomplish this “cycling” process about four times.
Are There Any Food Sources of PQQ?

PQQ has been found in all plant foods analyzed to date. Particularly PPQ-rich foods include parsley, green peppers, kiwi, papaya, and tofu. These foods contain 2–3 mcg of PQQ per 100 grams. Green tea provides about the same amount per 4-oz. serving. While these amounts appear to be sufficient in helping our cells carry out their basic functions, research indicates that boosting PQQ through supplementation can produce some amazing effects.